Inspired by a collector called Jim Rugh who collects coins and medals in various elements, I decided to give this set a go. This set would only include coins that were issued (no private mint tokens / medals). Personally I didn't think it was that hard other than it being expensive as you would include precious metals in it as well. Turns out I was quite wrong! While I bought all of my precious metals many years ago when gold was 700 dollars and silver at 5 dollars (yes it was that long ago), there was just one element that remained illusive for many many years. This element is antimony. I'm missing coins struck in these three elements: manganese, titanium, niobium. I figured I can get them any time as there are plenty of examples floating around - except I don't quite agree with the prices. Here's my couple other favourites: Hunting these coins might have made me a metal head but I think it made me appreciate how different metals were used for various reasons whether it's economical reasons, marketing ploy, novelty and such. Maybe this might spark an interest in you in doing a similar set?
I think I know the answer, but how rare is the Antimony Japanese Manchuria (I believe) piece at the start of the thread? I may collect metals used for coins, but it's on the back burner currently (too many collections right now )
If I remember correctly, a few are partially made of manganese... It reacts with water, so none are made of alot of manganese.
windchild - very rare. This antimony coin was issued by Kweichow Province and has nothing to do with Manchuria. Here's an example that was on ebay a while ago. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-KWEICH...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 They do appear at auction houses once in a blue moon and the prices do reflect it. Honestly, that single coin could possibly buy all the element coins that I have featured on my site! I was just VERY VERY lucky. Derrick - there's a coin that's struck in aluminum-manganese alloy issued by India if I am not wrong.
I don't know why I thought it was Manchuria... I have been reading about the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria, so maybe that would be why. Another Manganese alloy is the US Brass Dollar coins and the US War Nickels.
I think the coins from india were made from Magnesium Aluminium alloy. "So-Called Gold Dollars - Recently the US Mint has produced gold-colored coins made out of manganese and other non-precious metals. Although they are commonly called gold dollars, there is not a speck of actual gold in them" http://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins?main_action=united-states
Carinus Tetradrachm made from "Potin" ... where "Potin" => an ancient alloy of copper, zinc, lead and tin (apparently they also used this alloy to make pots & pans ... yup, nuthin' quite like a stew made in a pot made from lead, eh?)
A set of Victorian Penny Black medals in various metals/surfaces that I "completed" only to find that there are examples in alabaster!
Per Heritage "The medal...appears to be calcite alabaster into which the master hub dies were impressed. " "Victoria Visit shelled alabaster Medal 1837, by Wm. Wyon, unlisted material, type of Eimer-1304 and Brown-1775, 55 mm, issued by the Corporation of London for the young new queen's visit to their guildhall on 9 Nov 1837."
Some sort of Fiber coin from Manchoukuo, Japanese puppet state in northern China (Manchuria). We all need more fiber in our collecting diet. :burger-flip: To keep us regular...:yes:
